BalotSports.info

This is not the time for the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters to let their guards down. The defending champions have set up a three-day minitraining camp to keep them sharp when the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup resumes next month.

Head coach Chot Reyes said the camp is their way to stay in shape and be prepared for the crucial three-game stretch that will determine the team’s bid for one of the two semifinals seats.

“We will remain focused by continuing to practice hard and sharpening our skills via a three-day mini training camp before breaking for the New Year,” Reyes said.

Talk ’N Text, which is trying to become the first team to defend an All-Filipino title since Great Taste did the trick in 1985, is currently in solo third spot with a 10-5 win-loss mark—behind Alaska (11-2) and San Miguel Beer (12-3).

The Tropang Texters’ bid to land in the top two depends on how the Aces and the Beermen fare in their last games in the double-round eliminations.

If Alaska, which has five games left in its schedule, and San Miguel reach 14 wins each, Talk ’N Text will just have to settle for a berth in the best-of-five quarterfinal series even if it sweeps its last three games.

Talk ’N text is one of five teams that will see action in January when it faces Barangay Ginebra in a crucial match at the Araneta Coliseum.

After the Kings, Talk ’N Text meets struggling Barako Bull, then wraps up their eliminations campaign with a titanic battle against San Miguel in an out-of-town match in Zamboanga City.

The Tropang Texters are also using the long layoff to rest their hurting players, namely, Jimmy Alapag, Jared Dillinger and Harvey Carey.

“We welcome this break to allow Jimmy, JD [Dillinger] and Harvey to fully recover from their injuries,” said Reyes.

Alapag (hamstring injury) and Carey (back problem) actually are playing through their injuries, while Dillinger suited up against Sta. Lucia Realty on December 23 after sitting out two matches because of a strained left knee.

Dillinger scored 10 points in his return. The Tropang Texters won that game, 117-112.

Games January 6 (Araneta Coliseum)
3 p.m. — Smart-Gilas vs Purefoods
5 p.m. — Sta. Lucia vs Rain or Shine
7:30 p.m. — Talk ’N Text vs Ginebra

Source: Joel Orellana  Manila Bulletin